GREETINGS! in Jesus' name: Here we are, already well into 1948, a slumbering, indifferent, pleasure-loving world plunging heedlessly to its DOOM! Yet, despite spiritual lethargy, the sober, all-important work of God, to WARN our nations and proclaim the TRUE Gospel to a dying world, is progressing in greater and greater power against most trying circumstances and obstacles.

The official United States government view now is: "ATOMIC WAR IN FIVE YEARS!" The government foreign policy, and military strategy is geared to that schedule. One top-flight radio news reporter, I am told, stated to the nation that Russia had the audacity indirectly to notify the United States she will attack with atomic bombs in five years!

Five-star General Arnold, head of United States air forces in World War II, states bluntly in an article that America has won her last war — she will lose next time! Is the atomic bomb a secret? NO! says Dr. Robert M. Hutchins, chancellor of the University of Chicago, where the first atomic explosion was set off, in an article in the American magazine (Dec. '47). The FACT is, he candidly reveals, a great part of the preliminary work, and most of the subsequent work in producing the bomb was done by foreigners. Of the ten top scientists, half were GERMAN, one was French, One Danish, one Italian, one American. The Germans were far ahead of us at the outbreak of World War II. Every single basic idea in atomic fission came from a European mind! America merely applied these ideas and PRODUCED the bomb. ALL these foreign scientists know how to produce the bomb! Today they are scattered throughout the world. THERE IS NO SECRET! Can Russia make atomic bombs? OF COURSE, answers Dr. Hutchins. IS Russia making them? It would be foolish to assume she is not, he replies.

Two years ago it was known Russia had the secret, and an able scientist then prophesied she would complete her first atomic bomb in three years — one year from now! There are 27 first-class nuclear physicists in Russia! Inside five years from now, Russia will have enough bombs in production to blast every city in the United States out of existence over-night! AND THERE IS NO DEFENSE!

One medium-sized bomb could wipe out of existence Indianapolis, Denver, Portland, Atlanta, or Jersey City! It is now possible to make bombs 1,000 times that powerful! By taking advantage of prevailing winds, an enemy with just TWO of these super-power bombs could make the entire United States uninhabitable, by contaminating our entire area as winds sweep radio-active air over the face of the land! It is as impossible to destroy a bomb on its way to a target carried by a high-speed missile as to destroy an artillery shell in flight! But it is estimated it will take five more years to perfect those bomb- carrying missiles, plus enough bombs, by some enemy nation. We have that much time to PREPARE — yes, to prepare — FOR WHAT? THERE IS NO DEFENSE! If the German V-2s had carried atomic bombs, England would have been totally destroyed! In one night, ten atomic bombs could destroy America's steel industry. Five more could stop our oil production. Another five our coal production. Thirteen bombs could destroy every great metropolitan and manufacturing center in the United States. Our nation can be wiped out IN ONE NIGHT! AND THERE IS NO DEFENSE! And ENEMIES WILL BE READY IN FIVE YEARS!

And we sleep on, heedless, bent on pleasures and working for a future that WILL NEVER COME! Co-Workers, THE ONLY THING THAT IS IMPORTANT NOW IS TO SOUND GOD'S WARNING TO THIS NATION — TO PREACH AND PUBLISH WITH GREAT POWER THE TRUE GOSPEL TO THE ENTIRE WORLD BEFORE THIS ATOMIC-DAY COMES! Frankly, I do not believe it will actually come in five years — but it COULD! But I do believe we have not more than seven or nine years to finish the work God has commissioned us to do! Just BARELY enough time, and NO MORE! That is why AMBASSADOR COLLEGE had to start without a year's delay.

That's why God performed MIRACLES to open the way that it might start. Sober, serious young men and women are being thoroughly TRAINED to carry this work now INTO EVERY NATION. Every student, by hard application, is proving to be an ALL-A student! Final exams for the first semester are being held this week!

The true Gospel is going to the nation nightly and every week-day morning. XEG has INCREASED its power. Letters are POURING in — 700 to 1,000 every day! Precious souls are being converted. Lives are being CHANGED! Oh, how I wish you could read the letters! Many hundreds appeal to me that God will HEAL them of sicknesses, diseases and injuries, and scores are being healed. Often I am called on to pray for 150 to 200 at a time! One letter just received says: "Oh how I wish I could help you more in the great work. You have been such a help to me. I know it was your voice that made me wake up and take notice to God and His Word. How I thank Him that I heard you that first time! I truly believe God was calling me, through your voice, because it was the first time I ever heard the Bible explained in its true meaning....I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and though I find it quite hard at times, (there are so many temptation in the world today) I also find it is the happiest and most important thing in all the world living for God, and by god's laws and truths. Dear Mr. Armstrong, you are called of God I know, because you preach the Bible — what it says. God bless you. Please pray for me."

Another writes: "I've been listening to your broadcast each evening. I enjoy it so much. My brother near — was listening to your program one night and was reclaimed — had been backslidden for several years, so I began to listen in. I hope you can keep on the air till Jesus comes. Yes, we have been so blinded by traditions till it's hard for some to understand when someone is really preaching the truth." *** Another: "I am just so happy that I heard and accepted this wonderful Gospel that you are preaching over the radio, which is the only thing that will save us. God has wonderfully blessed us (my family) through you, and we are praising His holy name! We listen every night at 8 o'clock, and sometimes at 5:30 in the mornings, read our Bible along with you, and it is wonderful! We have just begun to LIVE, thank the LORD." *** These are typical, just received, of letters coming in every day telling us of precious souls brought to Christ and salvation thru the broadcast. Also, in every mail are appeals for help. Here are excerpts from just a couple in today's mail: "I've listened to you for over a year, and you preach what I believe, but my mind is in a whirl. I have been, in the past, one of the most wicked women that ever breathed. I have broken every commandment God gave to us. I'm a divorced woman, not because my husband wanted to get one, ... he was a good man. All the fault was mine, because I was unfaithful, spender of his hard-earned money for liquor, and "good-time crazy." ... What I'm concerned about now, is how can I serve my wonderful Lord. Do you think god has forgiven my sins?" Then she asks some personal advice and help. Of course, God has forgiven the sins of all who come to Him thru Jesus Christ, accepting His death on the cross in payment for the penalty of our sins, accepting Him as personal Saviour, having REPENTED of sins, desiring to be reconciled to God and to know and live by God's laws. *** Another typical letter, showing the dearth of spiritual food received in this world's churches: "Thank you SO MUCH for all the help and truths you give the world. I belong to the - - - - - Church. But as you know, we need so much more than we get in church. I feel that there's so much that I haven't received. I have never received the blessings that I know the Lord gives. Please pray for me." The reason so many do not receive more blessings is that they do not understand fully what Jesus taught: "It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive." The principle of God's law is LOVE — which is selflessness, the principle of GIVING, SERVING, rather than GETTING. The more we GIVE, the more we RECEIVE! *** From Mississippi: "I always share with interested persons your publications and special pamphlets. They are always received with much appreciation, and I am called on from time to time for these. We have a regular reading circle made up of these and we listen to your broadcasts and discuss them among ourselves, and this is growing each week." *** A young man high-school senior: "I have been listening to your broadcast, and I can say from the bottom of my heart that I certainly admire a man that will stand up and preach the true Gospel like you do ... I spent two years in the Navy; got discharged in 1945. Attended Junior College, in which I am now enrolled. I was about like the rest of the boys when I got out of the service. I didn't live a very good life. (He surrendered to God last October). I have been thinking of going to — — -(college) next year, but I would like to receive some information from you. Are you a Bible teacher in Ambassador College? ... Why I write you all this is because I am seeking a way to make preparation, not just get through school, but to have the real thing after I get out....I think you have the true doctrine." This lad expects to enter the ministry. We hope he comes to Ambassador. Yes, I personally teach the Bible class at the college. *** I was rather amused, and much pleased, at a letter from a former zeal-filled member of a certain popular sect which claims NOT to be a Church or Organization. He is typical of thousands whom the broadcasts has CHANGED from error into TRUTH. There's space for but a small part of his letter: "Dear Representative of God only by the authority of God and by the authority of Jesus Christ: What you are preaching is DIFFERENT from anything I've ever heard or anyone else has ever heard today. You certainly preach a different Jesus to what the — — — Society (which he formerly followed) or any other religious organization preaches. There's as much difference in your, or the BIBLE interpretations and the — — — Society's interpretations as there is between daylight and dark." *** Another in this category: "I listen to your broadcasts and will say that you are the first man I have ever heard that I believe tells the WHOLE TRUTH. I have sought for many years to know the truth, as it must be written, but I could not quite grasp it. I am not a church man, but I try to live a straight honest life."

Dear Friends and Co-Workers, WE HAVE ONLY A FEW YEARS LEFT! The horrible atomic war will COME! Dr. Hutchins says 65 scientists with him made a last-minute frantic effort to persuade President Truman to prevent the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan — for that meant OTHER nations soon would have it to use on US! All hope of preserving the awful secret was then lost! The end result, now, says this authority, can be ANNIHILATION OF ALL HUMAN LIFE UPON THIS PLANET!

But the PROPHETIC picture of the atomic future is just a little different from that which the world expects. Prophecy does say that our CITIES will be destroyed. A THIRD of our population will be blasted out of existence. But it does not say the nation which will do it will be RUSSIA. Unexpectedly, a dynamic CHANGE in world events, especially in Europe, will hold Russia off — prevent Russia from doing that which she undoubtedly would do otherwise. But the atomic destruction WILL COME! — and that's the IMPORTANT THING. God Almighty warns us OUR NATION AND ALL ITS CITIES WILL BE DESTROYED, unless we return to our God, and QUICKLY!

Yes, THAT'S the important thing! TIME IS SHORT, and WE MUST WARN OUR PEOPLE! If the nation won't heed, then each individual who does may find divine PROTECTION, to escape ALL these terrible things that SHALL QUICKLY COME TO PASS, and to STAND before the Son of man, at Christ's coming!

Listen, dear Co-Worker! As I've said before, YOU won't be living where you are — AS you are, enjoying what you are now, MUCH LONGER! DOOM is hurling surely and relentlessly down UPON OUR ENTIRE NATION! General Arnold sees it. All great scientists know it! They tell us they are frankly FRIGHTENED! You may be sure General Eisenhower, President Truman, Secretary Marshall all realize it! Yes, they all know more than they dare tell! GOD foresees it, and WARNS US!

TIME IS SHORT and swiftly running out on us! We STILL have time, and just BARELY time, to fulfill the Great Commission, before it's forever TOO LATE! We can't stop, falter, slacken our efforts now!

And yet SOME FEW of our co-workers continue to write in after every urgent appeal I'm forced to sent out! "Why is the work always in an emergency? Why must it always need more money?"

Oh, dear Co-workers, LISTEN! Let's all realize JUST WHERE WE STAND! We are in the very LAST DAYS! The only thing on earth that COUNTS, now, is THIS GREAT WORK OF GOD! It isn't MY personal work — it is YOURS as much as mine — it's GOD'S work, to which He has called YOU and me. I can speak in front of a microphone. But unless YOUR MONEY makes that microphone LIVE, — carries what is spoken into it, out over many radio stations of super-power to MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, I would be talking into a dead piece of metal in an empty room — just talking to myself! Often, when I speak to you, there is not another soul in the room with me.

Usually Mrs. Armstrong is there by my side, and sometimes visitors, but not always. You see, of myself I CAN DO NOTHING. Without YOUR part, this great work would be as dead as the proverbial door-nail.

I need — fully realize the need — and am sure I have, the help and power of GOD. I have to plead for His help, guidance, inspiration, and power daily — He has promised it, and He gives it. But without YOU CO-WORKERS, this work would fold up and STOP DEAD in less than ten days' time! I can write articles, and booklets. But unless YOU send the money for paper, printing, and postage, not a hundred people would probably ever see the Message God has given me. I can teach the marvelous, amazing, precious TRUTHS God has revealed to me to the Bible class at AMBASSADOR COLLEGE, and other professors can teach the other things these students need to prepare them for God's service — ONLY if YOU send in the money to keep the college operating!

And this work has been developed and organized SO EFFICIENTLY, under God's inspiration and guidance, that EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR you send carries the precious vital Message to TWO THOUSAND PRECIOUS SOULS, who will not hear it if you do not send that dollar — or as MANY dollars as you can!

Yes, this work ONCE AGAIN is in a LIFE-AND-DEATH CRISIS! I've explained before how we had no possible way to anticipate the $30,000 reconstruction job unexpectedly thrust upon us. We HAD to meet it. But it is not paid yet — and it forced us to get behind with our large super-power radio stations, and I have had to give notes in LARGE AMOUNTS, due monthly, which will keep this terrible crisis on us for THREE MORE MONTHS at least. We are not yet out of this dire emergency, and WON'T BE for another three months at least! But I am happy to report to you that we are rapidly getting this work out of debt — and are committed to a stiff schedule that will rid us entirely of the reproach of debt after another three months. Rapid, almost miraculous strides have been made — but we must put our shoulders to the wheel until the job's finished!

Some of our co-workers are doing FAR MORE than their share — God bless them! Some have made tremendous sacrifice — giving one, two, three thousand dollars — some LOANING us, until they need it, money they cannot give, that this money may at least be USED during this present emergency in this most important work on earth! I must ask OTHERS now to give, or loan us large sums to meet all the heavy obligations and keep this work alive, and GROWING. But some — as I said, only a VERY FEW — seem to take offense, and write me criticizing letters because this emergency is still on. Oh, dear Co-Workers, can't you realize that every bit of it is, financially, my PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY? — that it is I, not you, whom the building contractor, the radio stations, and others, threaten and pressure! It is I they make feel like a dishonest dead-beat or a criminal of some kind, when YOU fail to send in enough money! It is I who must endure all this, often unable to sleep nights, and still must try to keep up my morale and good spirits so I can talk cheerfully and encouragingly over the air to help millions of people — who must try to encourage and inspire our office staff, our professors and students at the college, and KEEP THE WHEELS TURNING, no matter how heavy the responsibility reposes on my shoulders! Now of course I realize, since this is God's work, that there is no cause for worry or fear — and I DO have perfect FAITH, born of long experience. I do always KNOW God will see to it that everything comes out all right, in due time — as He always has, does, and will! But dear Co-Workers, I am a human mortal just like you, not a great super-man — subject to all human feelings, temptations, weaknesses and everything else just like YOU. And being human, even tho my faith is strong and unwavering, and there is NO QUESTION in my mind of the outcome, yet these things are terrible ORDEALS which cause SUFFERING you can never know unless you should be in my place, have this frightfully heavy load of responsibility on YOUR shoulders, and know by experience! And yet some of our dear co-workers have written me that when they get a BULLETIN or some of my letters since this crisis has been on, they feel it so deeply they just can't sleep — so I know many of you feel a big share in this responsibility with me! — GOD BLESS YOU!

Well, here's the situation of the moment! Today I have to meet the regular heavy monthly payment on the college property. By drawing some from our reserve fund, I have enough to meet it — I'm sure God will never let us lose it! But a note for more than $2,000 is a couple days PAST DUE, another one for another $2,000 will be due in three days, the heavy monthly pay-roll is also due then, beside many first-of-the-month bills! Once again, I MUST get in not less than SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS WITHIN A WEEK! For the present we must keep BORROWING as many thousand dollars as some of our good co-workers, who are not in position to give it, can let us USE in God's work temporarily — for as long as you can spare it — preferably two or three years, but even for two or three months if longer time is impossible. I must send out again the urgent call for LARGE GIFTS, of sums of $500, $1,000, and up to several thousand dollars! Again I must ask you, and in Jesus' name, and for His cause, for all the widow's mites — and please try to DOUBLE even the small offerings if possible. We must have MANY offerings in amounts of $25, $50, and $100. God does not expect any to give what he has not got, but He does expect each one to TITHE faithfully, ONE-TENTH OF INCOME, and to give in addition generous, liberal offerings, ACCORDING TO ABILITY.

NOWHERE else can this money do so much good, or reach so many people! Except ALMIGHTY GOD interferes, this world faces certain DOOM — utter annihilation of human life on this globe by atomic destruction at the hand of man! The glorious GOOD NEWS of the coming KINGDOM OF GOD, and the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST to at last straighten everything out for us and bring a blinded and deceived humanity understanding, peace, and joyful salvation — the true GOSPEL of Jesus Christ — must now be shouted in great power to the entire world. Soon it will be TOO LATE. NOW is the time! YOU have your part, just as I have mine. I'm doing my very best — will YOU do ALL that YOU CAN? Please rush your offering, as large as possible, as soon as possible — air-mail (now only 5›) or even by telegraph.

God bless you — SOMEHOW I know we will be carried through, and this great work will survive and continue on, TO THE END!